May 3, 1999 4:16 pm

I haven't updated in a little bit, I know... Wow. I think that's one of the longest stretches without an update. Well, let's just say that I've been busy with the end of classes, finals, final papers, etc. I just finished a 14 page paper for philosophy today, just before going out to eat with they guys from my Bible Study for lunch. It was a good lunch.

Now, I have to get going on Bioc. The final is Wednesday morning. Then there's genetics thursday afternoon. I'm going to be a busy guy. Plus, there's the policy analysis paper due by the last day of finals. Unfortunately, I have no idea what I'm going to say yet. I haven't even looked over the other groups' presentations or papers. I'm going to have to do that soon.

I've been having some interesting discussions with different people about when the soul is endowed or imputed on the body, and whether or not the sinful nature that is inherent to every human being can exist apart from the soul. If you have a point of view about this, feel free to tell me and, if you can, tell me what you base your ideas on, whether it be what you were taught, or if there are any passages that you use to support your position.

Just a random note... Powerpoint 95 doesn't seem to like .gif files for some reason. It wouldn't let us put them in our presentation for Policy Analysis last week. Don't know why. I had to convert them all to .jpg with Microsoft Photo Editor. Just so you know, that program is really a poor program. It was the only graphics-type program that we had available, unfortunately. Photoshop all the way, baby.

I'm home in two weeks. I need to start packing soon. After finals though.

I'm tired.

Just thoughts.

May 7, 1999 7:35 pm

Wow. I'm just about done. Just this policy analysis paper, which, actually, may be more annoying than it sounds. I have to read through all the other presentations, and then put together my paper. I really hope I do ok on this. I think I'm going to spend the weekend working on it. Hopefully, I'll be done Monday. That would work out nicely for me. I really don't want to wait until the last moment to do this one.

Genetics wasn't too bad. It was actually easier than I expected it to be. I don't know how well I did, but I thought it was pretty easy. :-)Bioc, on the other hand... Well, Palmer's section was nothing like I expected it to be. Rudolph did a pretty good job of staying true to form. But Palmer, oh my goodness! He pulled some of those questions out of thin air! Oh well. It's over, and done, and that's good for me! :-) I'm very happily done with those. I hope I did well in my classes. I put in a lot of work, and I really hope that work paid off.

Well, better get to work on that paper.

Just thoughts.

May 8, 1999 2:04 pm

Well, things are starting to wind down here. People are leaving. I still have my paper to do, but I've already got friends leaving. I didn't get much done yesterday, but that's ok. I think I'm going to whip this paper out in a couple of days, tops. Monday is the target day.

It's weird. I'm halfway done with college now. 2/3 done with what medical schools will see. I really hope that my grades are reflective of the amount of work I've put into my classes this semester.

And yet another class of seniors is leaving. That is one weird feeling. I've already had friends leave for home, and I won't see them until next fall. Strange. Definitely a strange feeling.

Just thoughts.

May 9, 1999 8:54 am

I just realized this morning that I never really finished yesterday's entry. I mean, I didn't even FTP it up to my account yesterday. So I'll do that right now :-) I'll add more later today, if I have time. :-)

Just thoughts.

May 11, 1999 7:14 pm

Wow. My stereo is packed up, I've got boxes all over my room, and things are looking kinda bare :-( It feels weird to pack up every year. So I'm taking a break. I'm halfway done with college. What a strange feeling.

I mean, it feels good to be halfway done, but scary too. This time next year, I'll be grabbing med school applications left and right, possibly going on OEX. Wow.

I don't think I have enough boxes. the big thing is the clothes that I have. I didn't realize I could have that much clothes! I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with all of it, but I'll figure it out.

Strange. I was just telling a friend from high school, who is a senior this year, about how much you grow, spiritually, in college. Not just during your time in college, but the things you do during your summers, your spring breaks, and Chrismases. It's strange to look back at who I used to be when I came to college, and who I am now. God moves in mysterious ways, sometimes harsh, sometimes gentle, sometimes loud, sometimes soft. Moving, slowly, moving, silently, moving, shaping, molding, holding, pushing, pulling, moving. I couldn't see it sometimes, but nonetheless, God was moving. I didn't know what He was doing, but I knew He was moving. I didn't know what I was supposed to learn, but I knew He was moving. And He continues to move me, to shape me, to mold me, and to make me into the man of God He wants me to be.

I guess I'm also kinda sad, too, with all the neat things God has taken me through, and shown me about Him and myself, but that I haven't been able to totally share them with my parents. Of all the people who have invested themselves in me, I really wish I was able to share more of my experiences here with them, like Who Is Jesus? Week, and all that I went through with that, and a lot of different things. I think I'm looking forward to being home a lot more than last summer, for some reason. I don't know why.

Just thoughts.

May 12, 1999 6:53 pm

I succumbed. I succumbed to temptation, and I made a CD of MP3s. It's mostly country songs, some praise songs, a handful of other things. I don't know why, execpt that there are some cool songs on that CD now. I can only play it on a computer, but I have winamp 2.2 burned on the CD too, so that I can install it on any computer that has a CD-ROM drive.

It's got lots of George, some Faith Hill, Alabama, Alan Jackson, lots of good stuff. Lots of danceable stuff, too. That's the cool part. :-) I have my own collection of country songs that I can now dance to, as long as I have a computer and speakers :-) That has a lot of possibilities.

I know many of my California readers are cringing, but y'know what? You guys do not know what you're missing.

I think a bunch of us may be headed out to Galveston tomorrow, depending on the weather. There was a massive thunderstorm this morning, and it poured. And now, it's nice and sunny, and you can barely tell that it rained just by looking at the street. There are some puddles, but the street isn't even wet. Go figure. That's Houston for you. It's also 80+ degrees out. Ahhhhh. Awesome weather :-)

I need a car. Well, I don't need one, but dang it, sometimes it's hard to get out and get food and stuff like that, if I don't have a car. That's annoying as anything. For example, today, I got up at 2 in the afternoon (I didn't sleep much last night. I was up hanging out). I had a sandwich this afternoon, but that's about it. And now I'm hungry. And both Scott and Ricky, and it seems like everyone else, too, has already made plans and stuff. So it'd be nice to just be able to go out and grab food. But that requires a car. Which I don't have. Oh well.

Just thoughts.

May 13, 1999 9:53 pm

This may be one of my last entries. I'm not sure how much more time I'll have in the next couple of days to update things.

We went to Galveston today. We meaning Lisa, Katie, Erica, Brooke, Eric, Jun, Garrett, me, June Chang, Kim, and Karen. Galveston is kinda nice and all, but the beaches are just not the same here. California beaches are infintely better. You get out of the water here, and feel all sticky and scuzzy. The water is brown. the sand is hard and imported. Heck, it was groomed, like a ski slope! But it's the closest beach, and it's what I have, so I guess that means that I have to accept it. It wasn't too bad, considering. The water was nice and warm, and very comfortable.

May 14, 1999 5:50 pm

I have this bad habit of not finishing my entries lately. I just cleaned out my closet today. I'm taking stuff to Keith's apartment later today, and then over to Lisa and Katie's to help them clean up their food :-) They're cooking for us :-) I also had a chance to meet Keith's sister yesterday, as she was helping him move out.

I fried yesterday. I don't know what it is, but I fried good. Galveston sun and me don't get along at all.

There has been some major discussion over at the Mead Hall lately about Roman Catholicism and stuff, and I've been a part of it. Now, let me warn any RC readers I have. I am NOT saying that the Roman Catholic Church (RCC from here on) is heretical outright. I do have some serious issues with certain doctrinal stances of the RCC, and certain general premises. For example, I do no understand how tradition can be seen as revelation with equal footing with the Bible. Anyway, the major thing that has been bugging me is, according to one person's message, the fact that the Catechism says "Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or remain in it."

It bugs me to death because from where I sit right now, I'm ready to say 99.9% sure that I will never "enter" the RCC. So that means I cannot be saved. I mean, it's real clear cut. I leave the 0.1% for God to work, just in case I ever do become RC. But to be totally honest, there are certain things that are seriously causing me some grief. Things like the fact that according to the RCC, you can lose your salvation. Things like Mary being called the Queen of Heaven. Things like that.

I'd really like to hear what other people have to say. Feel free to visit The Mead Hall and post a message or two. Email me and let me know. I really want to know what people think.

Just thoughts.